


Love You Like I Hate You

by exolunaticshipper



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Baekhyun being a lil shit for the majority of the fic, Enemies to Lovers, Fluff, M/M, Romance, SAH20, Smut, body guard chanyeol, cute stuff, president's son baekhyun, slight angst, spoilt brat baekhyun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-16 16:28:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29335299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exolunaticshipper/pseuds/exolunaticshipper
Summary: Chanyeol believed to get where you wanted in life you had to bow at the feet of those more successful. And he was ready to do that for Byun Baekhyun...Well, nearly.But Byun Baekhyun bowed to no-one. And if anyone tried to make him bend, he’d be sure to break them first.Sorry, he’d be sure to break Chanyeol first.
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol
Comments: 15
Kudos: 121
Collections: Swords and Hearts 2020





	Love You Like I Hate You

**Author's Note:**

> Written for: Sword And Hearts 2020
> 
> Rating: Explicit
> 
> Pairing: Chanyeol/Baekhyun 
> 
> Prompt: #SAH42

What do you do when you want to be successful? Throw yourself at the feet of the man who hold’s your world in his hands?

_That’s what Chanyeol had meant to do._

Instead he ended up throwing insults at the man’s son.

_Well, maybe he shouldn’t have been so damn aggravating._

Let’s rewind a little.

It all started when Chanyeol received the best news of his life, the one moment he had idealised- lived and relived in his head every day for the past week, had arrived.

It was finally here, _his success story_. His rise to fame- no more would he be the pitied fool at his family gatherings.

Chanyeol had spent his early 20’s being a bouncer for over-priced clubs and playing the steel gate for E-List celebrities ( _read: nearly normal people_ ), pushed around eternally by their over-zealous fans with little-to-no concept of personal space or boundaries.

But that was all about to change with the letter he had. It outlined his position, the trust that was being placed on him to take care of a certain, prestigious individual and in turn make something of himself that the world could be proud of.

If he was honest, when Chanyeol had sent off his application for this position, he had never actually _expected_ to get a response- let alone be given the position in a heartbeat. This was quite possibly everything he had dreamed of, everything he had worked out for and gotten knocked down for.

Finally, it was a chance to show himself as someone worthy of doing great things- or at least one great thing.

Chanyeol tugged his suit jacket around him tighter, his letter clutched tightly in his hands.

The one letter that was allowing him to live his dreams – the perfect chance to show his family, friends, everyone who had doubted him that he was in fact capable of and destined for an amazing future.

Okay, it wasn’t like anyone had actively told him that he wasn’t capable of any of those things, it was just that being a bodyguard outside of a busy nightclub wasn’t exactly the most respectable or the most sought after role.

And while his friends and family had never made him feel bad about it openly, he knew what they really thought. He knew what the aunties whispered about behind his back at family gatherings, about how his cousins had gotten into medical and engineering schools. How he was the failure of the family.

But never to his face.

This was to prove to _everyone_ that Park Chanyeol was a highly capable human being, that taking care of unruly people since he’d turned twenty – eight years ago- was worth it. After all, he had been specifically selected to be part of the president’s household, as a personal bodyguard to their son.

See, he wasn’t a one track mind individual- no, he had once wanted many things in life- a beautiful home, money, children- a dog. That had long changed, now he _just_ wanted this.

If only he had known that this would end up being one of the most complicated decisions of his life...

_Maybe he would have turned around and walked away._

It both helped and didn’t simultaneously that Jongdae was standing next to him, bouncing on the balls of his feet like a sugar-high child- adamant to see if Chanyeol was really telling the truth and peering through the gigantic golden gates in disbelief;

“You’re bluffing” He gasped “You are not _actually_ working for the president!?” Jongdae shrieked, hands coming out of the bars to wrangle onto Chanyeol’s perfectly pressed suit.

“Fuck off, ‘Dae!” He yelped, swatting off his best friend’s hands and straightening his jacket for the umpteenth time that morning “I had this pressed just for today and it’s not the presi-”

“ _Holy fuck._ The Korean President- you’ve truly made it!” The other looked at him wide eyed, cutting him off “I- I honestly can’t believe it Yeol, all those years of being a bouncer and spending sweaty mornings in the gym actually paid off- I’m so proud of you!” He reached up and ruffled the taller’s hair, messing the perfectly placed strands “Being President Byun’s official bodyguard!”

“Well... _actually_....” Chanyeol chewed on his lower lip, suddenly nervous “I’ll be guarding his son- y’know... _Byun Baekhyun_ ”

Jongdae froze “B-Byun Baekhyun? You’ve _got_ to be kidding. The guy you drool over every time you see a picture in a magazine or a newspaper? _That_ “Byun Baekhyun”?”

Chanyeol opened his mouth to say something, but a horrifying blush spread over his cheeks and he clamped it shut once more.

Jongdae scoffed, unapologetically; “He’s gonna chew you up and spit you out, Yeol. You _know_ what he does to his body guards- no one has lasted with the guy longer than two weeks- a month tops.”

“He won’t be that bad, I’m sure- I bet the rumours about the President’s son aren’t even-“

“Aren’t even _what_?”

The cool, clean-cut voice chipped in, a lilt of mild amusement lacing it “Why are you loitering outside my home- are you stalkers? Or just people I dragged home from my _wild_ night out?”

Jongdae made a sound of pure surprise while Chanyeol just gawked.

Stood directly behind Chanyeol (encompassed by his _gigantic_ frame) was his future client, Byun Baekhyun.

Yes _, yes,_ and the guy he had been drooling over every time he glimpsed a picture.

How could he not? Despite everything that was said about Baekhyun’s nature- that he was a brat, rude and controlling- he was also _devastatingly_ handsome.

Today, his purple hair was slicked back and to the side, the colour of the week as he had picked it, standing out against his pale skin and his lids were flicked with glitter. He was dressed in an expensive leather jacket, a simple pale blue wife beater and black skinny jeans which looked akin to a second skin.

Byun Baekhyun in the papers Chanyeol had read daily, had been the most incredible specimen- a prime example to all the club goers on exactly how to dress and exactly how _not_ to behave. Raunchy, rambunctious and a little out of control, the president’s youngest son was anything but picture perfect.

He was a spoilt brat, who always got what he wanted, _when_ he wanted- at least that’s how the tabloids expressed it.

“... _real_ ” Chanyeol eventually finished, swallowing down the comment about how Baekhyun was dressed like he was a two dollar stripper and not the son of the most prestigious man in the country. It probably wasn’t the best way to start of the career he so desperately wanted and wouldn’t do anything to help the intense coiling in his gut- whatever it was.

( _Maybe that protein drink had been a bad idea...yeah_ )

“If you keep your jaw hanging open like that, you’ll catch flies” Baekhyun blinked, fluttering his eyelashes innocently.

The taller snapped his mouth shut, gritting his teeth in frustration and an embarrassed flush flooding his cheeks. He had known the man all of two minutes, and he had already managed to crawl under his skin.

“Big opportunity, remember?” Jongdae taunted him quietly with a wicked grin, before patting his shoulder, bowing to the president’s son and sauntering off the way he came without so much as a introduction. As if he hadn’t just caused Chanyeol to implode internally, either.

It left Chanyeol to face the smaller boy alone.

“So... you were saying?” Baekhyun tilted his head up, a finger poised over the keypad to his gate.

 _Be professional. Be professional._ Chanyeol hissed internally. _Do not strangle the boy so soon._

“Mr Byun, I am Park Chanyeol- the new bodyguard assigned to you by your father” Chanyeol bowed deeply, missing the smirk that crossed Baekhyun’s face and the eyes that appreciatively took Chanyeol in, before a bored expression replaced it.

“Oh another one, I wonder how long you’ll stick around” He sighed “Very well, it’s the least I can do to keep my father happy, _I guess_.”

“I plan to ‘stick around’ for as long as I possibly can” Chanyeol stated confidently and this time Baekhyun grinned wolfishly, not even pretending to hide it

“Oh, do you, now?” Baekhyun muttered, grin still plastered on his face “We’ll see about that”

Something about his words, the tone of them, made Chanyeol shiver bodily as he followed the smaller up the path to the front of the grand mansion.

A maid greeted Chanyeol at the door and Baekhyun simply pushed past her “Jennie, can you not get in the way if you’re going to pretend to help?”

“I-I, I’m sorry sir!” She yelped, scuttling after Baekhyun and grabbing the leather jacket he had dropped on the floor, following him as he littered his clothes on the way to his room, leaving Chanyeol staring after him and the smooth expanse of skin Baekhyun displayed.

Reaching the top of the huge staircase, Baekhyun peered over “Are you coming Mr Body-guard? I need someone to keep me safe”

The tone was mocking, dripping wet with sarcasm.

And Chanyeol finally understood why Baekhyun’s bodyguards never stuck around for too long- probably getting equal amounts frustrated and angered by his condescending tone.

“Yes _sir_ ” He replied politely, biting back a sharp comment of his own.

Once upstairs, Baekhyun strolled into his room and let Chanyeol follow, whirling on the taller boy quickly and pressed him back against the wall, his slender fingers grasping around his tie, tugging harshly;

“Listen here, _Park,_ was it?” He gritted, his sunny disposition changing in an instant “I don’t want a baby-sitter, I don’t _need_ a baby-sitter, so just stay the fuck out of my way and let me do my thing and we won’t have any trouble. Am I understood?”

Chanyeol narrowed his eyes, honestly a little miffed his perfectly pressed suit was being ruined by the man he had worn it to impress “Mr Byun, I was hired by _your_ father to look after _you_. I have every intention of doing so”

Not for the younger boy _per se_ , but he needed the pay-rise that came with the job just as much as he needed to be able to gloat about something for once.

It didn’t hurt that he wanted to feel _wanted_ for once too.

Baekhyun huffed, loosening his grip and stepping away; “Okay, if you want to play like that then...” He smiled sweetly once more “I want you to stay guard outside my room, all day... and all night- I’m real worried somebody’s going to hurt me, y’know?”

“I’m entitled to one hour of break” Chanyeol bit back, clenching his fists, because _god damn_ , was this kid annoying.

“Well, I guess I’ll just tell my father he hired another incompetent fool. It’s your choice.”

Chanyeol sighed, letting his shoulder’s sag and his defeat show “If that is what you want, Mr Byun” He opened the door to leave, glancing back at the smaller boy who was no longer paying attention and shaking his head.

This was going to be a long, _long_ day.

**

Everything Chanyeol knew of the smaller boy was what he had seen expressed through the press. In fact, Chanyeol had never seen a good thing written about him.

Compared to his brother Baekbom who held the family’s name in high regard, Byun Baekhyun seemed to throw it around carelessly; using it to gain access into high-end bars and clubs and fancy restaurants.

Despite being a similar age and knowing Baekhyun for all of half a day, Chanyeol realised they were _totally_ different.

Chanyeol had very little; his mother had passed away when he had been fifteen and his father worked long hours off-shore, that left him to live with his auntie and his cousins, who while lovely, were still a little off with him. Baekhyun, on the other hand, seemed to have everything- money, family, fame, an amazing house and a job that you only heard of in dreams. Yet, he seemed to despise everyone and everything, even with the way he spoke to his own maids and helpers.

He remembered clearly when it all seemed to change. Baekhyun hadn’t hit his current level of notoriety until he had turned 23. Until then, he was stood poised happily and gracefully in all of the family’s shots- expected to be the next son to follow in his father’s footsteps, possibly be president himself one day. And then the supposed “scandal” on the boy came out- drunk in a strip club- a gay one no less- and the media lost their minds.

 _How could the president have a gay son?_ How could Baekhyun flaunt himself this way without any remorse for what it could do to his father’s career?

It made Chanyeol feel sorry for him, to have so many labels attached to him simply for his sexuality, but having met him since, the taller felt his sympathy subside.

Maybe people were horrible to Baekhyun because he treated them like crap, not that he deserved hate really, but he did deserve some karma for the way he acted.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt angered by the boy who had everything- Chanyeol had to face the same dilemma with his auntie who did not understand and had refused to acknowledge it, still attempting to pair him up with women from his home town. Baekhyun had nothing to be this worked up over- he had a loving, famous family and very little stress, right?

So, why was it that his heart still panged for a younger, terrified Baekhyun? _Stupid heart._

The next time Chanyeol was officially on duty was the following week for the opening of the elegant and regal new fountain in the President’s Park, the younger Byun being the one chosen to cut the ribbon.

“How do I look?” The said boy snapped his door open with a flourish, startling a tired Chanyeol, his feet pressed against the floor to take away the ache of standing “watch” for some 12 hours now ( _again_ ).

“Great.” He bristled, unhappy with the fact he had been treated like dirt by this mousy little boy yet here he was acting adorable, with his little pout.

“I feel like you don’t mean that, Mr Park” He cooed “And I’m not letting you off duty for your break unless you give me an honest opinion”

“I gave you one” Chanyeol gritted back, turning his head to look at the small man. God, how he wished he could squish the smaller, beautiful man under his thumb. “It’s not my fault you’re so egotistical that you want more”

There was a beat of silence, even the well known blabber-mouth Byun Baekhyun silenced briefly by his words.

“What the _fuck_ did you just say to me?” He forced out, eyes angry “I’ll have you fucking fired!”

“You asked for honesty, _Mr Byun_ ” Chanyeol snapped out, tired and exhausted from standing and having to deal with this arrogant prick of a client. “Also it’s your father that can hire and fire me, but I’m sure you’re well aware of that, Mr Byun. If you don’t require my service at the moment, I’ll be taking my break”

With that Chanyeol sauntered off towards where he hoped was the kitchen or at least a door, Baekhyun stuttering behind him, the beginnings of curses falling from his lips.

Sighing through his nose, Chanyeol sat down outside, facing the lush gardens that surrounded Baekhyun’s home.

They were beautiful. And they encompassed everything that was Byun Baekhyun- red roses, with large white lilies decorated the edges of the garden, dyed orange and lilac tulips in the hedges and a cherub fountain which was surrounded by rows of tightly curled pink roses.

It was stunning.

Digging inside his jacket pocket he fished out a cigarette and a lighter, too stressed to care about the smell or bother hiding around the side of the house lest his boss find him.

No, not his boss, his _client_.

He huffed in a drag when a quiet voice sounded behind him;

“Mr Park, I take it?”

Chanyeol swivelled his head to take in the man who the voice belonged to. It was a short man once again, but with beautiful wide eyes, thick lenses covering them and lips so akin to heart it was difficult to think otherwise;

“Yes that’s me- how did you know?” Chanyeol chuckled.

The other man laughed too “Ah, Baekhyun mentioned you when we met up earlier. But I tend to find all of Baekhyun’s new body guards either sitting out here or packing their things and leaving. The boy is surely ruthless.”

“ _That_ he definitely is.” Chanyeol shrugged, letting the smoke puff around him “You seem to know him well, are you his friend? Or a butler he likes to push around?”

The smaller boy beamed at him, extending his hand in greeting “I’m Kyungsoo, I’m Baekhyun’s best friend since we were kids- he wouldn’t dare do to me what he tries on the staff. But he’s... not all bad.”

The taller snorted in surprise.

“Has he always been this much of a-” Chanyeol stopped himself; he didn’t want to curse out Baekhyun despite hating his guts right now. It wasn’t professional, and above all he needed to be.

Kyungsoo smiled “Not always. There’s a good guy in there... just, its hidden deep-“

The doe-eyed boy didn’t get to finish his sentence, his voice drowned out by Baekhyun’s shriek;

“Park Chanyeol, get your ass in here, now!”

“I’ll see you around” Kyungsoo smiled, voice sounding a lot more hopeful than Chanyeol had expected.

Stubbing his cigarette out and sighing, Chanyeol pushed himself off the wall “I hope so. Well, the _princess_ awaits” He curtsied exaggeratedly as Kyungsoo laughed at his actions, finally making his way to Baekhyun’s room.

Baekhyun was stood tapping his foot impatiently, voice like ice when he finally spoke “It took you two whole minutes to get here. If I was being kidnapped, you wouldn’t have even known- or been here in time to save me!”

“ _Sweetheart_ ” Chanyeol drawled, already so fed up with this boy pushing his every button whenever he got the chance “If you had been kidnapped, we would definitely know because the whole place would be at peace-“

Baekhyun almost growled at the impertinence “ _You_ -“

“And on the point of me saving you” Chanyeol shot back, before the other could interrupt “I thought you didn’t need a baby-sitter?”

Baekhyun snapped his mouth closed “I don’t. Definitely not some scrawny looking fuck- who, by the way, did you borrow that suit from, _your mom_?”

Chanyeol hissed out, dark eyes narrowed “ _Don’t_ go there, Baekhyun”

“Touchy touchy” Baekhyun sneered back, stepping into Chanyeol’s personal space for just a second before scrunching up his nose and stepping back “Whoever you borrowed it from, you can give it back- it stinks of smoke, and I’m not having you standing around me looking like the tramp while I cut the ribbon”

“Aw, you really _do_ care about me.” Chanyeol shot back, clutching his heart for dramatic effect “Who would have thought?”

“No Park, I couldn’t give a single shit about you.” Baekhyun pressed his finger against his chest to emphasise his point “I just don’t want the press to think I’ve got bad taste with you lingering around”

“Your wish is my command oh, President’s son” He said with an obvious grimace, walking towards the room that Jennie the maid had officially shown him as his own earlier “Oh, and you don’t need me to make them think you have bad taste- you do that well enough on your own, Mr Byun”

“You’re a fucking dead man, Park” He heard Baekhyun’s angry cry following him down the corridor, before the bedroom door slammed shut.

“Whatever” Chanyeol grumbled, tossing himself onto his bed to sleep off some very exhausting few days.

He had to be a professional now.

Sure, he’d been a bouncer before but even then, he had never reacted to the stupid comments thrown his way by drunkards or even batted an eyelash to any inappropriate comments. So why was _everything_ that Byun Baekhyun purred out of those stupidly pretty lips of his constantly making him so agitated?

 _Angry_ , even.

And Chanyeol was never angry- he had not earned the nickname “ _Happy Virus_ ” by being an angry person but Baekhyun just twisted every nerve in his body and every sing-songy word, proud, egotistical and full of shit just made him want to put the smaller man in his place.

Chanyeol paused in his mental tirade against the smaller man, he couldn’t keep doing this. He was better than this. Tomorrow at the fountain party, no matter what, he would not rise to the smaller man and his incessant jabs.

He could do that much- at least he hoped.

Chanyeol sat outside on the porch waiting for Baekhyun to arrive, the car that was supposed to take them to the fountain had already been waiting twenty minutes.

“I’m here!” Baekhyun announced with a flourish, causing Kyungsoo to chuckle beside him. The shorter’s gaze fell upon the taller man;

“Oh and so are you, I thought you would have gone already”

“I’m your body guard Mr Byun, I’m here to protect you” Chanyeol intoned, keeping his voice steady and all emotion out of it. “It’s my job”

Baekhyun merely rolled his eyes “Whatever, let’s get going Kyungsoo- I’d hate to keep my father waiting, he might actually have a heart attack if I turn up late” He turned once more to Chanyeol “Did you find your outfit in the trash? You do realise the press is going to be there?”

The taller knew- knew what he was trying to do- biting on his tongue to not let another rude comment slip. “I wouldn’t want to take the spot light away from your radiance, Mr Byun” He smiled, obviously fake before muttering a curse under his breath.

The flush on Baekhyun’s cheeks confused him, but he refused to think about it further.

The short trip to the fountain was relatively quiet, Baekhyun choosing to turn away from Chanyeol and converse exaggeratedly with Kyungsoo. The taller had no interest in either the man or his story, although the funny imitations he put on of some of his friends made the taller smile under his hand- not that he’d ever mention it.

What? He had a weak spot for imitations, they were funny!

Climbing out, he didn’t know what to expect. He definitely hadn’t expected hundreds of girls and boys alike, hoards of press with large microphones shoving it at them yelling ‘Mr Byun!’ or ‘Byun Junior! How do you feel about this prestigious opening?!” The roar of the crowd was almost overwhelming.

Dazed for a minute, Chanyeol kept his focus on the small magenta haired man stepping out of the vehicle, finding it easier to focus on one sole person than the literal hundreds gathered here for him.

He took in the slim blue suit Baekhyun was wearing, it complimented quite nicely with his hair and his fair skin tone- the rings on his fingers standing out in their bulky weight against the elegant digits.

Baekhyun looked impressive, he always did- only now Chanyeol knew how much of an asshole he was too but that didn’t stop him staring all the same.

Still he was easier to look at than at the crowd of people making him feel nauseous. It was the first time he had done anything like this- and it was so far out of his comfort zone. That was until Baekhyun opened that pretty mouth of his;

“Are you going to stand there like an idiot, Park? Or are you actually planning to do your job?”

It spurred Chanyeol into motion, hand instinctively coming onto Baekhyun’s shoulder to guide him towards the fountain and protect him from the microphones jabbing in his face.

When they were finally away from the reporters and little out of earshot of the crowd Baekhyun shrugged him off with a scowl;

“Touch me again like that, and I’ll have you removed from existence”

“You wish you had that kind of power- or are you going to go running to _Daddy_ again?” Chanyeol snapped back and _oops_ , there went his resolution to be professional with the little shit.

“Watch your shitty mouth, Park” Baekhyun bit back with a fake smile, voice inching lower into a growl. He turned on his heel to walk towards his father and mother, who were stood discussing something together quietly, his brother stood some ways off. They paused to look at him, sceptical for a moment.

This was Baekhyun’s moment to prove them wrong- to prove to them that he was a good son, and worthy of his role.

Baekhyun hadn’t always been the spoilt, partying brat that he was now. No, everything had changed for him when he’d finally confided his sexuality to his parents- and they didn’t believe him.

 _They didn’t believe him_.

Didn’t believe their adorable son who they’d seen dance in dresses could actually be gay, that he could actually like other men.

So Baekhyun, being Baekhyun proved it to them- using classy escorts, his friends- anybody he could reach to show them exactly how flamboyant he could be. It wasn’t exactly who he was but it was the clearest way to get it into his parents’ heads. And then, when he finally moved out of the main house into his current residence, his father had begun hiring “body guards” to spy on his activities. In retaliation, Baekhyun made sure everything was public, that everything he did was out there before his father could do any damage control.

He made sure to screw up every single event his father set up, his perfect brother Baekbom being the centre of attention on every occasion.

This was the first one he was here without running away from, and he wasn’t even sure why.

“Baekhyun, you’re here” His mother smiled stiffly, pulling him into a straight hug, arms almost coming around him like a mannequin and Baekhyun returned it the same.

He bowed to his father who only nodded;

“It’s great of you to show up for once. I’m surprised, I didn’t think you could handle the responsibility” Byun Senior was a stout man, his pride worn on his face, every part of his attire co-ordinated and pressed to perfection. He looked almost like a wax model.

“I can, Father” Baekhyun mumbled, suddenly a shy version of himself.

His father hummed “Well, I have given the responsibility to Baekbom today, given your usual show of turning up late or disappearing”

“What?” Baekhyun hissed, eyes wide “This was _my_ thing! You can’t just give it away!”

“When you can finally act responsibly Baekhyun, then we will discuss giving you _‘things’_ to do” His father mocked, before walking away to talk to some of the event co-ordinators and grace them with his presence.

Baekbom gave Baekhyun a genuinely apologetic smile “Baek, I’m so so-“

“Save it, enjoy cutting the ribbon on this giant cock-shaped fountain” He snapped, pushing his way past Chanyeol and Kyungsoo and rushing away from his family before they could see his tear soaked cheeks.

It was dangerous to run away like this, especially with the title attached to the Byun name- people would pay countless amounts to have him kidnapped, or just to corner him for a taste of Baekhyun- but he couldn’t care less. He had to get away from his suffocating family- with their prestigious views and their snooty voices. He wanted to go back to a time before his father had come into office.

But it was too late for that now.

Finally Baekhyun stopped, at the park’s small river, the stream laying between the park and the woods beyond, leading off into a lake.

“Hey! What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” Chanyeol called out, behind him, still in a slow jog to catch up to the smaller male who started moving again “Baekhyun- are you insane?!”

“Nope- just get the fuck away from me, you giant creep” Baekhyun shrieked back, flailing his arms as he tried to cross the river, stepping on some small stones peeking out, the water splashing against the cuffs of his trousers.

“You’re going to hurt-” Chanyeol huffed to a stop, why did he bother? He knew how dangerous even a river as small as this one could be- or the eventual lake. He had taken part in enough sports on the water to know exactly what could happen here.

Planting his feet firmly on the floor, he bent his knees slightly, one arm reaching out to grab Baekhyun’s slim wrist and tugging with all his energy pulling the shorter back onto the bank, albeit on top of him.

“Are you insane?” He repeated, looking the shorter in the eyes, watching the tears pool and finally noticing the damp cheeks before Baekhyun was pushing away from him and standing up;

“I told you, I don’t need you to protect me – you o-or your huge ears” Baekhyun looked away, discreetly wiping away his tears “And what if I’m insane- it’s none of your business, asshole”

“I just saved your ass” Chanyeol deadpanned standing up and pulling Baekhyun back to face him, sick of the constant tirade of shit and abuse he got from the shorter man despite just doing his job and trying to look out for him “The least you could do is be thankful and tell me why you’re running away like a child”

“Listen, Park Chanyeol- I’m not a damsel that needs saving. It’s literally a patch of water, I doubt I was going to drown. Secondly, I don’t have to do anything and frankly, I don’t plan to. Don’t think for one second you can control me” He growled, pushing Chanyeol firmly back with two hands on his chest and-

_Oh damn._

_God._

Baekhyun blushed slightly. Chanyeol in the past two weeks had always worn suits a little bigger than his size that didn’t hug his frame as they should. But with his hands on his chest he could feel how firm every muscle was, the toned abs, the outline of his pecs- for a split second all the blood started rushing south at a dizzying, stomach twisting pace, body fluttering with butterflies.

Realising his sultry thoughts towards the bodyguard he currently hated very much, he panicked- shoving back with even more force until Chanyeol tripped over his own feet falling into the river and catching his hand on a rock.

“What the fuck!” He yelped, clutching his hand to his chest, as he tried to pull himself back to the grassy bank. “What is wrong with you, you spoilt brat?”

Baekhyun didn’t listen, any remorse he felt for pushing Chanyeol in steadily dissipating with the words spewing out of Chanyeol’s mouth.

“Fuck off, Park” Baekhyun ground out walking away a few steps before stopping- he would have felt zero guilt, if it weren’t for the big doe eyes watching him leave.

Puffing out his cheeks, Baekhyun sighed at a pouting Chanyeol getting out of the water, the cut on his hand trickling with blood.

“Come here, you idiot” Baekhyun grumbled, pulling out the neatly folded pocket square on his suit. He gripped Chanyeol’s hand as he wrapped the fabric around it tightly, constricting the blood flow “Wouldn’t want to ruin that one suit you have”

Chanyeol just stared at the smaller male, heart beating erratically. Maybe Kyungsoo had been right, and Baekhyun had a nicer side.

“Well come on dum-dum, don’t just stand there- take me back to my car” Baekhyun sassed, sashaying away.

_Or not._

Not that his heart cared, it kept beating stupidly fast as he rolled his eyes at Baekhyun, who retold the story of his friend’s cat the whole walk to the car- imitations and all.

_Stupid heart._

_**_

To say Chanyeol was unhappy was an understatement. Since the fountain-river-pushing incident, it had been roughly a week and a half, and all Baekhyun and he had done was yell or make snarky comments at each other.

_Endlessly._

It was like Baekhyun had to have the last word, no matter what. And honestly, Chanyeol couldn’t allow that.

Doing the only reasonable thing he could think to do, he vented to the only person who had enough time to listen- Jongdae;

“From the way you go on about him, sounds like you might be into him Yeol. Maybe you should try to seduce him- boy clearly needs a good dicking down and that way you’ll both be happy” Jongdae quipped with a shrug and Chanyeol choked on his drink;

“Are you mad, Dae?! Did you just not hear how he pushed me into the lake!?” He whined, sipping his coffee and further complaining about how it was too bitter.

“I don’t know man, it just sounds like someone giving it to you as good as you do to them. It’s just... hard to think anything different when all you do is talk about him, y’know?”

“It’s my job! I’m not telling you I’m in love with him- I’m telling you what an asshole he is. I hate the guy real bad” Chanyeol grumbled, letting his eyes close gently as his friend laughed, patting his shoulder;

“Sure man, I just... I’m just saying it as it is- as your best friend.”

“I need a new best friend then” Chanyeol deadpanned, sulking at the thought. There was no way he could ever like that _devil_ of a man- “And maybe a new job. Not sure how much longer I can do this without actually ripping his head off”

Jongdae simply smiled knowingly and waved Chanyeol off his break. He’d figure it out soon enough. He hoped.

“Where have you been?” Baekhyun demanded the minute he was through the door “You’d think with giant legs like yours you’d actually be able to walk quicker”

“You’re just jealous because you’re a fucking midget, Byun. What did you want?” He snarled back, not in the mood to be nice purely because of his conversation with Jongdae.

“Nothing” Baekhyun shrugged, suddenly quiet “I’m feeling in a good mood, so I’m giving you the evening off. Go play with your friends or your dick, I’m not bothered”

Chanyeol beamed, face splitting into a smile for the first time since starting his job nearly four weeks ago “Yes, okay I’ll be back at- oh wait-“

“What is it?” Baekhyun’s impatience slipped through his tone;

“Here is my number in case _princess_ wants me” He pulled his lips into a tight smile, miles different from the full on grin he had showcased moments earlier.

“I don’t want it. I don’t need it” Baekhyun deadpanned snatching the card and tossing it behind him “Now get out”

“R-right” Chanyeol managed, strolling out mere minutes after he had walked in. He couldn’t believe Byun Baekhyun was actually giving him a night off.

He should have known nothing would ever be that easy with this demon boy.

Chanyeol blearily opened his eyes, his clock on the nightstand flickering 3AM.

He had gone to have a chilled night with Jongdae and Sehun, stuffing themselves full with pizza and light-beer, before he had made it back sometime before 12AM, flopping into bed and promptly passing out.

Baekhyun had been in his room presumably, quiet as ever and the house seemed silent too. So Chanyeol had no reason to worry. That was until he was woken up at 3AM to his phone ringing incessantly, the caller I.D flashing “Unknown” for the 5th time.

“Hello?” He picked up, sleep still thick in his voice;

“Chanyeol!” It was Baekhyun on the other end, voice slurring a little with booming music in the background as he mumbled something else, followed by a light hiccup “Hey you asshole, I need you to come pick me up. I need-“

The phone line died.

“Fucking- _Baekhyun-_?” He glanced at his phone. Another call came through;

“Hi, it’s Chanyeol right?” It was different voice and the taller was instantly on high alert “The guy who called you has passed out on our bar, just wondering if you could come get him? He’s just in Diamonte Bar on the West Promenade?”

“Yes of course, give me 10 minutes- I’ll be there” Chanyeol sighed, pulling on a pair of jeans and old t-shirt, too tired to give a shit about his appearance, simply running a hand through his hair to straighten out the probable bed-head.

Byun Baekhyun was going to be the death of him.

“Hi! Sorry! Thank you for looking after him- I’m sorry he ended up like this” Chanyeol hurried over, shaking the smaller slightly;

“Hey Mr Byun, you look like an idiot right now- there’s probably like a million paparazzi people around” He tried in vain to wake the smaller out of his drunken stupor, only gaining a quiet jumble of small words.

The bartender, _nametag: Jongin_ , looked at him meekly “I’ve tried man. He always ends up like this- this is the first time I’ve seen him call someone though”

“Oh” Chanyeol wasn’t sure what to do with that information, at the moment he was too agitated to find it strangely warming that Baekhyun had thought of him in his haze. Probably too used to Chanyeol cleaning up all his messes.

Having had enough of Baekhyun’s antics, Chanyeol glanced around quickly, desperate for no-one to be watching the smaller man, before tucking his hands under his knees and one behind his back to carry him bridal style out of the door, thanking the bartender once more.

He pushed Baekhyun into the front passenger seat, buckling him in with a sigh. He had to admit Baekhyun looked content sleeping, like a fragile angel.

He noticed the tear tracks once more on the admittedly pretty face and it made him frown. He didn’t quite understand why though, Baekhyun should be miserable for dragging him out of bed at some ungodly hour- but not miserable enough to cry.

The drive back was silent, save for some small puppy whines Baekhyun emitted in his sleep, curling gently into his palms.

“ _Idiot_ ” Chanyeol mumbled as they pulled up the house once more, unbuckling Baekhyun and carrying him up to the room. He had half a mind to just toss the smaller on the bed and leave him to wake up in a state.

It wasn’t his job to undress the smaller and make sure he was okay, or to put a bucket by his bed. But Chanyeol just couldn’t be that heartless.

He pushed Baekhyun’s hair aside and placed an old bucket by the bed in case the smaller needed to vomit, before seating himself in the chair on the opposite side of the bed and dosing off against his palm, unable to keep his eyes open any longer and lulled to sleep with the melodious sound of Baekhyun’s little whines.

The following morning however, was everything Chanyeol hated.

“What the fuck are you doing in here!?” Baekhyun screeched before flinching back at the sound of his own voice and clutching his head “I knew you were a weirdo and a creep, I didn’t know you enjoyed watching people sleep!”

“I wasn’t-” Chanyeol closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose “You think far too highly of yourself Byun, if you think I’m ever going to lay a finger on you. Next time, you can find your own way out of a shitty bar when you drink yourself to shit. I’m not on the clock at 3am.”

With that he slammed the door closed, leaving Baekhyun reeling in his bed, unsure of what to make of the events that had just transpired.

Why did his heart mildly hurt when Chanyeol was so mad at him? Usually they were both rightfully angry at each other- hated each other. But here, Chanyeol being so angry at him... made him ... _sad_?

Baekhyun didn’t understand it. Didn’t get why Chanyeol had come to get him if he hated him so much, or the reason why he had stored Chanyeol’s number in the end and called him since he apparently hated the other man with a burning passion.

He really couldn’t figure it out.

He could just leave Chanyeol alone, he knows he could- but he doesn’t want to- just the other’s mere presence has him biting and spitting for a fight from the otherwise monotonous man. He wanted to rile him up until the veins in his arms are angry and his cheeks and lips flushed with red. And then he wants to bite on this lips and nip at those veins and suck on those long, thick fin-

Baekhyun gasped reeling in shock, body becoming momentarily rigid. He was not enjoying the recurring thoughts he was having about the taller. That guy was a stupid, big eared giant who did nothing but spit rude words at him, who challenged Baekhyun at every turn and crawled under his skin just as much as it was the other way around. But for some heinous reason, he couldn’t stop thinking about him in that way...

His thoughts were disrupted by a polite knock and his butler Junmyeon strode in “Your hangover cure breakfast sir, Mr Park suggested you would need it”

“Of course” Baekhyun gritted out, rolling his eyes “Did he also demand you make that comment to me?”

“He did, sir” Junmyeon bowed with a small smile playing on his lips at how childish Baekhyun could be- but just how well matched he was to the ‘giant oaf of a body guard’.

Baekhyun hummed in response, something in his heart warmed at the fact that despite screaming at him, Chanyeol had spoken to the kitchen staff about his delicate morning condition.

 _Stupid Park_. He found himself thinking, but somehow it lacked its usual venom.

Junmyeon just grinned at the boy chomping happily on his breakfast, he wondered how he would have reacted had he known Chanyeol had cooked it up himself.

The breakfast was delicious. And honestly it made Baekhyun feel horribly guilty for yelling at the other, the spoilt brat act that he had on was just that- an act. It wasn’t supposed to spill over into his everyday life, yet here he was treating someone he had just met like shit, purely because he could.

Pushing through the nausea, Baekhyun stood up and made his way over to Chanyeol’s bedroom, down the long corridor of his mansion. He didn’t know what he had in mind, but he didn’t like being in debt to someone else, he had to repay Chanyeol somehow.

Knocking on the door, he stood their awkwardly, waiting as he heard Chanyeol shuffle around inside and bump into a few things, colourful words falling out of his mouth. It was kind of adorable to him how Chanyeol was this big, buff bodyguard with a venomous tongue but in reality he seemed like he was a seriously clumsy giant.

“How can I... oh princess, it’s _you_ ” Chanyeol’s gentle expression darkened as he opened the door to his very bratty client, tone flattening “How can I help?”

“Um...” Baekhyun flushed suddenly, any sense of bravado falling away. The bratty Baekhyun wasn’t the real him anyway. Not that he was shy by any means- he just wasn’t a rude person.

He was someone who loved unconditionally; loved his friends, even his family who rejected him constantly- he wanted to be someone who helped others pave their own paths and often contributed to charity and providing pets a home. Being in front of Chanyeol, being humbled by him as he had when the other had collected him from his drunken stupor made him want to apologise and ask to make amends.

Instead, Baekhyun settled for crossing his arms and looking away from the other’s gaze “I’ve got a meeting at a clinic at two today, I expect you to accompany me. You don’t have any other duties for the day.”

Saying that, he briskly walked off before the other could catch on to his pink tinted cheeks- he had already had enough embarrassment for one day. The two o’clock appointment was one that he had for years now with his closest friends Kyungsoo and Yixing. Kyungsoo and Yixing were renowned veterinary surgeons, who also doubled their clinic as a play-and-stay care centre for people’s pets on the weekend. Baekhyun had been volunteering at the clinic, two times a week for the past four years now and it meant everything to him, the one place he could be himself. This was one thing he would not miss no matter what.

“Sure, princess” He heard Chanyeol call behind him, his door thudding shut once more.

He reappeared from his room at exactly 1:30pm, dressed to impress lest Baekhyun make any more rude jokes about him, in a plain black t-shirt, black jeans and a leather jacket.

“Wow, you actually took my advice for wearing better clothes” Baekhyun mumbled, but his words lacked any serious bite. Instead he simply pointed to the passenger seat of his Audi.

“You’re letting me sit in the front, really?” Chanyeol couldn’t help but tease. He was still upset with the smaller but it was obvious that Baekhyun was trying his hardest in his own bratty way to apologise and while he still wanted an honest to god apology from Baekhyun’s lips, he would settle for the better treatment for the time being.

“Shut up and sit, I’m never late for this and I won’t start today.”

“Okay, okay” Chanyeol compromised, quietening down as he buckled himself in. It was sweet that Baekhyun was trying so hard to make amends, it showed that he couldn’t be all that bad. His thoughts were confirmed when they arrived at a veterinary clinic, the smaller male blushing profusely.

“I know what you must think, that I’m stupid for doing something like this, but this is everything to me” Baekhyun managed out in a moment of vulnerability, fingers still gripping the wheel “Just... I know you hate me, but just be nice here please?”

Byun Baekhyun... _pleading_ with him.

It did something utterly stupid to Chanyeol’s own heart, bratty Baekhyun seemed so small, almost being swallowed by the leather padded seats he sat on, looking like a lost boy rather than the president’s son.

“I suppose I can be nice for the next hour or so” Chanyeol shrugged, giving Baekhyun what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

“Okay good, because this is the first time I’ve ever brought someone else here.” The smaller mumbled, quickly unbuckling his seatbelt and getting out of the car “Come on hurry up, I don’t want to be late”

“Right, I forgot how much of a brat you were” Chanyeol rolled his eyes, getting out to follow the smaller man, taking a few seconds to appreciate how nice he looked dressed down in black skinny jeans and an oversized jumper.

The room Baekhyun led them too was spacious, set up to be some sort of puppy play park, with a little fence shielding the tiny puppies from the outside world. The minute they were in the room, Baekhyun’s demeanour changed from aloof to happy child, running excitedly into the middle and sitting down, letting the puppies come up to him and nuzzle his legs and hands, kissing each one and calling them by their names.

“Ah Tobennie!” He giggled as a black toy poodle, attempted to clamber up his knee caps, small paws scrabbling for purchase. “Behave now! Otherwise I’m going to get my body guard on you”

“Your body guard?” Chanyeol echoed behind him, standing close enough to see Baekhyun’s flush crawl up his neck “I thought you didn’t want me?”

“I didn’t.” Baekhyun said, making no comment about the fact that he had used the past tense and instead occupied himself with cuddling a welsh-corgi, patting its rounded tail occasionally.

“Would it kill you to actually apologise to me? I mean I know I’m dirt compared to you but apologising to someone isn’t the end of the world, Baekhyun” Chanyeol chuckled, more amused now than angry by Baekhyun’s attitude. It was somewhat endearing to see the adorable pout on those pretty lips and those droopy eyes glancing up at him out of guilt.

Chanyeol squatted down, black jeans tightening around the toned muscles of his thighs, Baekhyun’s eyes following the movement and gulping down hard to stop any noises escaping his lips.

Fuck, Chanyeol was really hot.

Sure this wasn’t the first time he had noticed it, even in his drunken haze all he had thought about was Chanyeol. How pretty would his skin look when he was flushed and sweating? Protecting Baekhyun’s body with his own, towering over him with his light tan skin, wide palms pressing his body close and out of harm’s way... Chanyeol could probably manhandle him into any position of his choosing and Baekhyun would love it.

Not that Chanyeol would ever have to know.

“I don’t w-want to.” The smaller stuttered out, finally managing to out the sentence without sounding too shaken, “I don’t apologise to anybody.”

Chanyeol couldn’t help but smile, this Baekhyun was so different to the loud-mouthed idiot he had to baby-sit “You could try today- you already have a lot of first’s”

Baekhyun sulked further, body curling up “Don’t wanna” He moped, not meeting Chanyeol’s eyes before suddenly springing up “H-how about instead, I... by way of apology we could go to the mall after this and you can get anything you want, any price. I’ll buy it for you.”

“You’re buying me off for picking you up drunk?” Chanyeol actually laughed, it was fun to tease the smaller so light-heartedly.

Baekhyun instantly returned to his sassy self “I am, are you complaining?”

“No... I mean I’ll take it.”

He didn’t know what was happening that day, but he was willingly choosing to spend more time with Baekhyun even though he had a clear out to take. He could go home, spend time annoying Jongdae and even get a full eight hours of rest before he had to be back taking care of Baekhyun, but instead he had chosen to be right next to him.

And it didn’t make him feel terrible for once.

Huh.

Shrugging off the strange feeling of how he didn’t completely hate the smaller so much having seen the more vulnerable version of him, his mind echoed what Kyungsoo had said about the tiny president’s son when they had first met.

He finally sat down with the smaller boy, both laughing as the puppies chased each other around, often seeking refuge in their laps. The small poodle and welsh corgi seemingly had taken a liking to each other and Chanyeol in all the movement had shuffled closer to Baekhyun as they watched the adorable dogs.

He nudged the older man slightly “That corgi is a lot like you”

“Wha- what, why?” Baekhyun croaked out in a half laugh, face splitting into a grin and his slender fingers immediately coming to cover his smile.

“Firstly, it’s not proper manners to cover your smile” Chanyeol scolded, gently tugging the other’s hand away from his mouth, ignoring how warm and right their hands felt together. Baekhyun’s smile was beautiful- that much he could admit and he felt so angry that the other would willingly cover it. “Secondly, because it has a sassy little walk like you, it’s small, kinda adorable in a bossy kind of way- if it could speak it would probably say the words ‘trash’ and ‘I don’t want to’.”

Baekhyun was fully laughing now, eyes crinkled up fully, mouth open wide and hand smacking Chanyeol’s shoulder, fingers resting there for a moment before realising what he was doing “Shut up, I’m not like that. Not all the time at least”

Chanyeol’s own smile softened at the mildly dejected look, giving the hand still somehow in his hold a gentle squeeze “I know.”

Breaking out of his moment of tenderness, Baekhyun snorted as his eyes followed around the tiny black poodle, Toben “If I’m Mongryong- then you’re one hundred percent Toben. Loud, yappy- talks back and jumps on you at every given opportunity. Loyal too, and kinda cute but so annoying that it overrides everything else”

Chanyeol let out a sarcastic laugh, biting his own lip “Is that your indirect way of calling me cute?”

“No!” Baekhyun almost shrieked, voice echoing across the room and garnering the attention of all the animals in the play pen and an embarrassed shake of his own head. Chanyeol stifled a laugh, maybe getting amusement from Baekhyun’s embarrassment was getting to be so much more fun than he thought.

“Wow, okay so it definitely was. I’m definitely going to bring this up when you’re less nice to me again”

“That’s... I’m always nice to you though” Baekhyun muttered, rolling his eyes “So you never have to bring it up again, okay?” He smacked Chanyeol’s unsurprisingly firm chest (of course he was toned everywhere- as if to taunt Baekhyun even further) “Now, if you don’t shut up, I’ll stop being nice”

Chanyeol chuckled softly “Fine, _fine_ \- don’t want you hurting those dainty hands if you keep hitting me too. Don’t want to get sued.”

Baekhyun said nothing more, rubbing Toben gently as the little pup rolled over onto his side. He bit his lip to keep in the smile that kept trying to slip out “You know... about that... situation and how I acted... I’ll make it up to you. You can buy anything you want, any price- whatever it is I’ll buy it. It won’t come out of your wages, my family will never question it.”

“Really? Absolutely anything?”

“Here” Baekhyun took out his card “You don’t even have to show me what it is, if you want a fully-functioning, life size sex robot you go for it. You deserve it for all the shit I put you through”

“This is the closest I’m going to get to an apology right?”

Baekhyun blinked up at him, still seated on the floor with the puppies “Yeah, and I’ll take it back if you’re going to be annoying about it”

“No no, this is... this is good. I’ll accept it” Chanyeol smiled, helping the other to his feet. The animosity they usually felt having dissipated in a room full of puppies, as expected.

“Um, so do you want to go to the mall, like there’s loads of designer shops and things if you want to have a look around for what you want to buy?” Baekhyun sheepishly rubbed his head, his face tinting slightly “Or you can go back and take the day off, it’s completely up to you- I won’t force you to come with me or anything- plus I have my car and-”

“I’ll come with you” Chanyeol interrupted the smaller’s nervous babbling “I am your body guard after all- someone will have to protect the damsel in distress”

The taller pretended to be hurt when Baekhyun punched his arm, but instead all it did was set off the swarm of butterflies in his stomach, the ones flying against his ribcage ready to burst out.

Fuck the butterflies, man.

They slipped back into Baekhyun’s car, a soft muted silence settling between them as Chanyeol hummed to the radio, tapping out a light beat on his thigh.

“Enjoying yourself there?” Baekhyun giggled, smile splitting across his face at Chanyeol’s embarrassed expression.

“Sorry, I...” He faltered, would Baekhyun even care that he had a secret obsession with learning how to play the guitar or would he think it was beneath him to play such an empty piece of wood?

Wait- _Woah._

When the fuck had Byun Baekhyun’s opinion been so highly regarded in his life?! This was the same man who would openly insult his clothes and his background without caring about how hard he had worked to get there.

But... again, a little voice whispered in Chanyeol’s brain, he didn’t seem to be that man right now. Right now, he was Baek, softly snuggled in an oversized jumper and black jeans that still made him look sinful despite also being covered like a marshmallow.

“You...?” Baekhyun prompted as they stopped at a red light, turning his head lightly to look at Chanyeol with a genuine expression, eyes wide and ready to take on anything Chanyeol told him.

It was kind of endearing and sweet, it made Chanyeol want to reach out and cup his face, until Baekhyun was only inches away from kiss-

Chanyeol jerked in his seat, forcing a cough to take away any attention from the hot flush across his face “I... um... I play guitar a lot so I like listening to the beat of songs... and stuff”

“That’s really cool” Baekhyun smiled “I used to play piano myself before my parents started treating me like crap”

“W-what?” Chanyeol stuttered out. Of course he knew that Baekhyun and the Byun’s must have a bad relationship from what he had read in the papers and seen at the fountain opening, but hearing the words from Baekhyun’s mouth felt like a shock to his system.

“Come on, it isn’t really a surprise. They hate me Chanyeol, but surprisingly the only thing more disgraceful than me, is cutting me off from the family. They would hate what that would do to their image” Baekhyun scoffed, expression turning dark and angry.

Chanyeol bit his lip, the smaller driving in a rage wouldn’t be the best idea, he would have to get Baekhyun to pull over somehow.

“I want coffee and some food!” He yelped, suddenly, hoping it was enough to distract the smaller.

“What? Can’t you wait until we get to the ma-“

“Nope _\- right now_. Desperately need it.” Chanyeol argued, crossing his arms over his chest and Baekhyun deflated with a sigh, pulling over and parking up.

“Fine, let’s go get something to eat” He smiled slightly, tugging on Chanyeol’s arm without thinking “I actually know a really nice cafe around here, they do the nicest coffees and the guy who runs it is actually an old friend!”

Chanyeol paced along beside Baekhyun, slowing his steps to match the smaller as he perked up once more, babbling endlessly about the selection of hand-made desserts and food available in the cafe.

Turning down a small street, Baekhyun pointed to the one cafe highlighting it with child-like excitement “This is it!”

“ _Ohorat Cafe_ ” Chanyeol read out, before being dragged inside by a suddenly hyper Baekhyun, who had entered the place like he had stars in his eyes, almost tripping over his legs to get to the front.

To Chanyeol, it was a world away from the person he met a few months ago- the snarky, impolite, rude son of President Byun, with a reputation for being an attention seeking whore was now this excitable, carefree, adorable Baekhyun, with lights dancing in his eyes and wanting nothing more than to hold hands and snuggle in warm blankets.

Chanyeol zoned back in with enough time to catch Baekhyun as he nearly tripped over his own feet, gripping the smaller around the waist to pull him upright “Woah, be careful there, bab- _Byun_ ” He quickly corrected, hoping the smaller wouldn’t notice.

“Sorry, got a little too excited, maybe coffee and sugar isn’t the best idea, Chanyeol?” Baekhyun blinked up at him, rosy cheeks clear under the warm light of the cafe.

The taller pouted, so unlike himself, “But we came all the way here, and you hyped it up so much and I haven’t even had one coffee today!”

“Okay okay, you big baby, we’ll get a coffee each and a dessert to share. That way we won’t be too hyper, okay?”

Chanyeol nodded. He still hadn’t let go of Baekhyun’s waist and the other hadn’t said anything about it. Was it odd that his hand felt so comfortable there? That he wanted nothing more than to pull Baekhyun in and wrap him up in his arms, smell that strawberry scented shampoo he used and kiss that forehead underneath.

“Hey, Americano right? And I got red velvet?”

“Wait, you paid already?” Chanyeol stared wide eyed, before turning to a smirking Baekhyun still standing in his arms.

Baekhyun reached up and flicked the taller’s nose with his black card, “What do you think, can’t let my body guards treat me when we’re out can I?”

It was a light tease but it made an angry green bubble crawl up Chanyeol’s chest, a streak of something maddening at the thought of Baekhyun taking out his other body guards. Sure, it was ridiculous to get worked up over knowing how his predecessors had felt, but it was also surreal as to why it made him feel so....

_Jealous._

He retracted his arm quickly, turning away towards their table quick enough to give himself whiplash and missing the look of hurt and confusion that marred Baekhyun’s features as he stood there with two coffees and a slice of red velvet cake.

“Chanyeol... are you okay?” Baekhyun sat down placing the drinks down and directing his attention at the taller, concern drawn all over “I... I was only joking.”

“It’s not that. It’s stupid okay, let’s just forget about it and have our coffee.”

Baekhyun slumped in his seat, nibbling at his lower lip.

He didn’t like seeing Chanyeol upset. Initially it had been his only reason to call the taller, to wind him up – to piss him off and see him struggle. But lately, lately he just wanted to crawl into the taller’s arms where he felt safe, kiss along that stunning jawline that had been tempting him since day one and tell him everything would be okay. That he was sorry.

Baekhyun had never been sorry to anyone. Not even his family- yet in one day, Park Chanyeol had managed to make him smile and laugh, act like a carefree child void of anyone’s opinions... and it had been the most amazing day. He had been wrong about the taller, that he could see completely.

Chanyeol seemed to drop his sullen mood after tasting the cake, cheeks puffing slightly as he chewed and Baekhyun used all his strength not to reach over and squish them.

_Seriously, what was wrong with him?_

First, feeling bad? Then offering to compensate- wanting to say sorry... and now what- doting on him while they had a date-

 _Holy fuck_. This was a date.

Sharing cake, drinking coffee-

“So... about what you were saying before... about your family... why is the relationship so bad, if you don’t mind me asking?” Chanyeol looked up, innocent wide eyes blinking back at Baekhyun, a hint of desperation, of longing hidden behind the warm brown.

The smaller ducked his head slightly “Ah _that._ I’m gay- if you didn’t already realise.” He shrugged “And they refused to believe me initially- tried to make me still fit into these tight family roles and date pretty women. And at first, I wanted to make them proud- that was until the night of Baekbom’s wedding, where they brought me some pretty girl from some big corporation- she was so beautiful, big eyes, long blond hair, petite- every straight man’s orgasm, I swear.” Baekhyun sighed “But I wasn’t straight. They told me that I would be marrying her, that we had to show the correct image to the world and being gay was not part of that image. I just realised I would never be able to be myself in that godforsaken family- it broke my heart.”

Baekhyun pushed back against the tightness welling up in his throat, he wanted to get through this- to show to Chanyeol that he wasn’t a horrible person- that he hadn’t always been like this. Why it was so important that Chanyeol knew all of this, he didn’t quite know, all he knew was he had to bring it up now;

“I... I tried to explain it to them, Chanyeol. Over and over- but they were adamant I was wrong- that I was a child, that I didn’t know what I was feeling and I’d regret this in the future. That I wasn’t in control, that there was something wrong in my brain.” He stifled a sob into his hand, appreciating Chanyeol’s fingers intertwining with his own reassuringly.

It felt good to tell someone that wasn’t Kyungsoo “They called me a liar. An attention seeker- my mother called me a whore. And I snapped, I snapped on all of them. I decided if they wouldn’t believe me, if they were too adamant to see who I really was, I would show it to the public they were so fearful of knowing the truth, I would show it to the tabloids.” He took a deep breath, look up at the taller with wet eyes;

“And I did, hence the reputation of fuck-boy gay as hell, Byun Baekhyun, wild child of the Byun family. The night that I got ‘caught’ my father was fuming, but it wasn’t like he could lock me up so instead he kicked me out. I moved out here- to my place now. But he was so desperate to do as much damage control as he could, maybe to show that this was just a stunt of some sort, not the truth. So he started hiring body-guards to report back to him- not because he cared, but because he wanted to make sure no press would be there if I went out, or if I dated someone it would be buried so far below. So I started... I started making sure none of my bodyguards stayed around. I thought you would be the same.”

Chanyeol looked at him numbly, the conversation he had on the phone with Mr Byun’s secretary when he had obtained the job was now making sense, how they had advised Chanyeol report to them at the end of every day as much as he could. He had never found the time with how exhausted Baekhyun made him feel every day... and now he was suddenly glad if this was how the great president treated his own blood.

“I... I understand” Chanyeol said softly, eyes scanning Baekhyun’s teary face “Not to the same extent. My family- my mum and dad were really supportive of me- I think they already knew that I was gay even before I did. But my mum passed away and my dad works months away off-shore so I rarely see him, if ever. My aunty and my cousins were less receptive- to this day she still tries to set me up with girls from the town she lives in, refuses to accept it and treats me like an outcast- a failure in her eyes- from my job to my sexuality. That’s why I rarely go home these days too. So, I don’t get everything, but I do understand a little of how you feel”

Baekhyun nodded gratefully, a tender smile on his face before his eyes widened in shock “Oh my god... no.”

“What is it?” Chanyeol suddenly looked around alarmed, suddenly on high alert.

Baekhyun shook his head “When you started... I.... about your mum... and your suit, oh my god Chanyeol... I... I’m so stupid”

“Hey, it’s okay” Chanyeol concerned eyes never left the smaller “Baekhyun, it’s... honestly, you didn’t know okay, and we were practically strangers, you don’t have to feel bad. I’ve come to terms with it.”

They sat in quiet silence, the odd hiccup from the smaller filling the space, until Chanyeol finally spoke up again;

“Y’know...They asked me to...to spy on you- but I never” Chanyeol confided softly “I couldn’t with how much you were driving me up the wall- But I’m sorry that ever happened to you, I really am”

Baekhyun let out a cracked laugh, eyes crinkling “Thank you really, for not just bailing when you could have. When I almost made you leave.”

“Wow thanking me and treating me in the same day, Byun Baekhyun- this isn’t a clone right?” Chanyeol chuckled, pinching Baekhyun’s cheek on impulse.

Baekhyun’s eyes widened, blush staining his cheeks and Chanyeol snapped his hand back;

“Ah, fuck sorry- that was too far, I- I didn’t mean to do t-that”

“N-no its fine... don’t worry” Baekhyun mumbled, quickly stuffing a piece of cake into his mouth so he didn’t have to say anything more.

They both awkwardly shuffled their way out of the cafe once they were done, keeping an abnormally large distance from each other.

“Do you still want to go to the mall? I feel so exhausted” Baekhyun pouted, buckling up for the third time that eventful day.

Chanyeol smiled, stupid heart fluttering at Baekhyun’s droopy eyes and emphasised bottom lip, before rolling his eyes “Get out, I’ll drive us back, in case you crash into someone or something, you can have a nap in the mean time.”

“Wha- Chanyeol, are you sure?” Baekhyun asked, timidly undoing his belt, because somewhere in his mind he wasn’t sure he was ready to see his hot as fuck, toned and built bodyguard drive his car. It was doing weird, over-stimulating things to his brain.

“Yes, of course Baekhyun, I know how to drive and you said you were tired.” Chanyeol quipped, getting out of the car and swapping seats with the smaller, starting up the engine while the other settled down once again.

Chanyeol placed one hand on the wheel, reversing out swiftly, before pushing the car into gear. The image was...

“Can you not do that” Baekhyun whined, mouth running ahead of his mind, dirty images of screwing Chanyeol right in the driver’s seat flickering across his lids. Why was he thinking this right now? He was tired, exhausted, eyes already closing- but all he could think about was straddling the man in the seat across from him and grinding down into his lap and-

“Do what?” Chanyeol flicked his eyes across to the smaller, face a picture of innocence, expect for the hint of amusement in his eyes. It was clear to see Baekhyun’s predicament- what had caused it, he had no idea- but a flustered Byun Baekhyun was a pleasure to tease he had learned.

And he loved to tease him, he really did.

_How had they become like this again?_

“S-shut up” Baekhyun stuttered, unlike himself, before facing the window to take away from the distracting thoughts in his mind.

He didn’t realise he had fallen asleep until he felt himself being hoisted out by two strong arms, before being cradled against a firm chest. It felt too welcoming, too perfect to object to.

He still didn’t say anything when Chanyeol placed him on his bed, gently draping the sheets over him, and still nothing when the taller rubbed a light thumb over his knuckles.

“Sleep well, Baekhyun” He whispered “I’ll see you tomorrow”

And he could say nothing- no words would be enough- when he felt soft lips press against his forehead lightly.

**

Chanyeol was sure they had started getting along finally.

He had been so sure of it, they had the perfect day... he had even... he had even begun to recognise the fact that he actually may like Baekhyun more than in a platonic sense.

Sure, it wasn’t morally right- but screw morals, he might actually like Byun Baekhyun _for real._

Real enough to tuck him into bed and kiss his head after a tiring day- real enough to want to protect him forever- from fan girls and reporters and... and his family.

So why... why was Baekhyun avoiding him like the plague?

He rounded the corner into the narrow hallway leading to one of the lounge rooms he knew Baekhyun was in, adamant to ask him what was wrong because there was no way he was going to let the other start treating him like shit again.

“- an asshole to me. He always has been right from the start y’know. He’s always got his way with me and he’s aggravating and annoying and a pain in my ass. And he’s so tall and frustrating” It was Baekhyun’s voice clear as day through the doors of the lounge

“Chanyeol’s always hated me, so it’s only natural that I hate him too, right? I’m not wrong for feeling like that am I?”

And there went his soaring heart, crashing so hard against the wooden floorboards, cracking straight through them and plummeting towards the molten core of the earth.

Aggravating. Frustrating. _Annoying_?

Had he dreamed up their day out together, with bashful Baekhyun holding his hand, laughing and being so flirtatious? He knew the smaller didn’t owe him anything, he hadn’t expected him to... but he had felt it, felt the chemistry, it was _genuine_ \- he could have sworn by it.

So why... why was Baekhyun saying he hated him.

He tried to zone out the way his blood was rushing in his ears. _Of course_ Baekhyun hated him- to the smaller he was just another one of his father’s lackeys, sent to spy on his son, nothing more.

Choking back his crushed heart, Chanyeol turned on his heel, tuning all else out, too scared to hear anything more that would only worsen a rejection without confession.

“ _Riiight_ , but you don’t hate him do you?” Kyungsoo rolled his eyes for the nth time, pinching the bridge of his nose “Just admit you like him Baekhyun, admit him kissing your head is like a tenth of what you wished he would do”

Baekhyun sputtered at his best friend’s openness “Kyung! What the fuck! No, I mean yes, I like him, him kissing me made me realise just how much, but I don’t think he even meant it that way- he meant it in like a soft ‘good night’ way, not in a ‘I like you’ way. And if that’s the case, I can’t have a crush on him- do you understand?!”

“Not at all” Kyungsoo shrugged “You’re overcomplicating this. No one kisses another person without meaning Baekhyun- there’s no ‘good night kisses’ unless you are lovers or family... or going to be lovers in your case.”

“Ew! Stop saying lovers... but... I... I haven’t liked someone for real in so long. I only ever dated people to spite my dad” Baekhyun mumbled chewing his lower lip “What... what do I do?”

Kyungsoo brought his sniffling friend into a light hug “You’re such a clown- you do what you always do Baekhyun, charm his ass off with that Byun magic, make him fall in love with you so that nothing else can compare.” He sighed “For what it’s worth, from the way he’s looked at you since you started, there’s always been something there, even if you both have covered it up with spiteful comments.”

“What... you think so? Really?” Baekhyun managed out, eyes wide with shock, mind reeling through all the times Chanyeol had effortlessly protected him and been there for him.

“Definitely, I’ve never seen so much sexual tension between two people in all my life. Except maybe Sehun and Yixing... but they ‘hate-love-fuck’ each other every opportunity they get so” He grinned and Baekhyun chuckled;

“Yeah, I suppose so.” He patted his knees, suddenly nervous “Time to make Park Chanyeol mine”

“That’s the spirit!” Kyungsoo encouraged, hoping to finally get the peace he had wanted when he asked to use the lounge in the first place, accidentally letting himself be cornered by a wide eyed Baekhyun.

He watched as Baekhyun flushed profusely before stumbling out of the room, mumbling to himself.

“They’re actually both idiots. Why am I friends with these people?”

**

It was meant to be an amazing moment with his epiphany- only that it was cut drastically short by the slim envelope on his bed.

It was perched on his pillow; the letter that ruined his life, his name written in Chanyeol’s curved handwriting.

_“Mr Byun Baekhyun,_

_Please take this as notice of my resignation in my current post as your body guard. My resignation is effective immediately and I will be vacating the premises._

_Regards,_

_Park Chanyeol”_

What.

 _No_.

_What?!_

Baekhyun turned on his heel, hurrying down the hallway to the room he knew was Chanyeol’s and banging on the door, surprised when the wooden door simply clicked open, showcasing a barren room, all signs of Chanyeol having been completely removed.

He really had left. He’d left Baekhyun alone to fend for himself.

How could he have just left- _why_? Was it something Baekhyun had done? Maybe he had been too much yesterday and scared Chanyeol away... Maybe he had...

Baekhyun could help the spill of tears that slid down his cheeks. Why did it feel like the world was crashing and burning, his heart being torn out looking at an empty room that had started to mean so much to him?

He pulled out his phone as a last resort, dialling the number as many times as his shaky fingers could- maybe if he could just get through to him- just for one minute- he could get him to come back, he could tell him he was sorry, tell him that he would do whatever, if Chanyeol would stay by his side for just a minute more.

Why did it hurt so much that the taller wasn’t there anymore. And why did he simply want to be numb.

_Sorry, the number you have dialled cannot take this call right now. Please hang up and try again later._

Again.

_Sorry the number you have dialled cannot take this call right now. Please hang up and try again later._

Just pick up, Chanyeol- _please_ , just pick up.

_Sorry the number you have dialled cannot take this call right now. Please hang up and try again-_

“ _Just pick up_!” Baekhyun sobbed out as he lashed the phone across the room, the object thumping off the bed frame and hitting the floor with a soft thud. He cried against the floor shamelessly, not caring who walked by- who saw him on his knees, pleading.

Finally, he let it sink in that he wouldn’t get his answer today- that he may never get his answer as to why Chanyeol left. He curled himself into a small ball on his bed, weeping against the pillow, wailing until his heart cried out against his ribs and his lungs burned.

But he didn’t care, he hurt so much inside that this pain was simply collateral.

The only thing he could think was why?

Why had he gone and honestly, why, _why_ did it hurt so fucking much?

It was nearly a week later when Baekhyun finally left his room. He had refused to speak to the house maids, to his friends, to Junmyeon and definitely to his family- it wasn’t like they actually cared, they were just surprised he was so quiet for a change.

Bleary eyed, Baekhyun woke up at 12am in a daze, only one thought on his mind and he hated it. He hated how Chanyeol had become the sole person of his thoughts- when that had happened he had no idea, but it wasn’t new.

Stumbling out of bed with dried tear tracks on his face, he moved into auto-pilot to the one thing he knew how to do when he had been hurt.

Drink the pain away. Drink until he was numb over, until the following morning when the pain was fresh... then rinse and repeat.

He dragged on the tightest, most flashy clothing he had- a bedazzled leopard print blazer, light white jeans, quickly picking up his phone and his wallet before heading out- hoping to make headline news once again.

And he did.

The tabloids scooped up every inch of a bare chest Byun, hanging off a stripper pole while his jacket was hanging onto the crooks of his arms, gyrating against the metal beam. He made headlines throwing up in front of the club, and headlines when he bought drinks for everyone, encouraging them kisses and lewd gestures.

Byun Baekhyun was headline news to everyone but the one person he wanted to see.

It was the fourth night in a row that he had made some kind of scene, when Kyungsoo had finally had enough of his friend being self-destructive, dragging his limp body out of the club;

“Baekhyun are you out of your mind- I get that you’re upset but... this, even for you this is too much!” Kyungsoo scolded; face softening at the droopy, tear-filled eyes that met his own. “No, come on, Byun don’t start crying!”

“I jus’... s’not faaiir” Baekhyun whined, hiccupping lightly, suddenly a whole world away from the drunken princess he had been back in the club “I wan’ him ‘Soo, him y’know...I mess’ it all up and I don’ ‘ven know how or w-why”

“I know, I promise I know” Kyungsoo said softly, tucking the other into his car and buckling him in “Let’s get you home, you’ll feel better once you’re comfortable.”

Only back in his own bed, all Baekhyun could do was sober up- sober up and realise that he wanted to be nothing but to be drunk again right now and to not have to feel so lost and broken.

Sneaking out once again was probably the only option he had to rid himself of troublesome thoughts, back into the world of the blurry, drunken people who didn’t care who you were or what you did.

The bright neon lights of the town were where he wanted to be, but a familiar quiet bar was where he found himself, drinking into a stupor once again.

What did it matter anyway? The one person he wanted to change for had left without a word, and here was stupid, dumb Byun Baekhyun, the embarrassment of his family, the thorn in their side- acting how they expected him to.

To them- to everyone else- he was a spoilt brat with too much money.

“On’ more drunk pleas and s’ankyou” He slurred, waving his arm around at the bartender, who only rolled his eyes and poured one more shot- he didn’t get paid enough for this shit.

“Mr Byun, this is your last drink- we’ll be closing soon and you’re too inebriated” The bartender cautioned, jerking back when Baekhyun whipped his head up suddenly, red, blood-shot eyes meeting his, wetness smudging the hastily re-drawn eyeliner.

He was next met with a flash and a murmur, an attack on the senses as paparazzi took photos of him in his most vulnerable state, looking distraught and dishevelled, prying into his life only to serve him up as front page news tomorrow.

Baekhyun didn’t care, he didn’t even care how furious his parents would be, he didn’t even care that any remainder of his dignity, any prowess he had shown on his usual nights out had been stripped away.

He only cared about one thing- one person- right now, and no amount of drinking, wasting away, was going to take away from that.

Fumbling with his phone between his fingers for a moment, he glanced down at the object, seeing only a blurry outline, before signing in with his finger-print and scrolling mindlessly through his contacts.

He pressed the call icon on the name he hoped he had found, clumsily placing the phone against his ear with little hope for a real answer;

“Hi, Baekhyun- can you stop ringing me I don’t work for you anymore, its 4 in the morning, what could you possibly want?” The voice on the other end was rough, annoyed. He could almost see the way Chanyeol had sat up in bed, hair a messy bird’s nest while he ran a frustrated hand through it.

“Chanyeol... I...” Baekhyun’s voice cracked, sobering at hearing the voice he had been pleading for the past two weeks “I... sorry, I’m _sorry_ \- I got drunk and I couldn’t stop thinking and you... you... I’m sorry...”

He heard an agitated sigh on the other end, some more fumbling and then Chanyeol spoke once again “Where are you right now? It’s late.”

“Just a bar outside of town” Baekhyun mumbled, heart crushing at the realisation that Chanyeol wasn’t happy to hear from him, and he truly didn’t want him “It’s okay, sorry for disturbing you, Yeol” He refused to admit how choked his voice became as he wobbled through the sentence.

“No. Stay put, I’ll come to pick you up- I still have... never mind. I’ll pick you up.”

The phone clicked off before Baekhyun could reply, letting him thud his head against the counter with a soft sound.

“Why am I like this?”

“I have no idea” The bartender replied, shrugging when Baekhyun shot him a dirty look.

Of course, _of course_ he’d call Chanyeol on this one stupid drunken night and that would be the time that gorgeous bastard would decide to pick up.

Finally sitting up when it didn’t feel like his stomach was about to churn its way out of his body, he swivelled to face an equally disgruntled Chanyeol, unable to take his eyes away from Baekhyun who look entirely stunning despite the evidently wet eyes, cheeks and stained shirt.

“Come on, let’s go” 

“O-okay” Baekhyun stuttered, tripping as he got up, only to feel warm, strong arms wrap around him quickly.

“Right, can you walk?” Chanyeol asked, averting his eyes because damn, Baekhyun shouldn’t be looking up at him like he was the entire world. It was painful after knowing what he really thought about him.

“I think so” Baekhyun mumbled, stumbling after Chanyeol as he led him out of the bar and towards his familiar car.

The taller safely buckled him in much like he had before, only there was no hidden affection, just a duty to look after someone like Baekhyun.

“Why did you come?” Baekhyun managed finally, ten minutes into their ride home.

“Just... you’re a bad drunk and you’re going to get yourself hurt, that’s all. And it’ll be on me if you do.” Chanyeol shrugged, turning a corner sharply, the smaller nearly slipping from his seat if not for the seatbelt strapped around him,

“Am not” Baekhyun argued back, a small (adorable) pout making its way onto his face “It’s your fault that I’m like this!”

“ _My fault_? Baekhyun- Don’t do this right now, okay? I don’t want to fight with you, I just want to get you home and then your million maids and new bodyguard can look after you okay.” Chanyeol grumbled, eyes focused on the road and not on the cute, flirtatious drunk in the seat next to him.

“I don’t have a new body guard. I don’t want one.” He said, fingers skimming up Chanyeol’s arm and onto his shoulder.

“Can you... can you not touch me?” Chanyeol painfully shrugged off the hand that he’d been dreaming of pressing light kisses against for the last two weeks. “And why not?”

“Oh, sorry” Baekhyun pulled his hand back like he’d been burned, face flaming suddenly “Because Chanyeol, because I don’t want another body guard- I want you- I _like_ you.”

“What? You liked to push me around, is that it?” Chanyeol scoffed, flicking a glance to the hand that was once more back on his shoulder, too annoyed to even attempt to remove it.

“No! I... I like you... like really fucking _... I like you,_ Chanyeol” Baekhyun bit his lip, taking in the way Chanyeol darted his eyes to him and then back to the road before repeating the motion and shaking his head in disbelief;

“You’re ridiculously drunk Baekhyun, just... just rest until we get home. Don’t say things you’ll regret in the morning.”

Sighing, Baekhyun slumped into his seat too emotionally drained to argue. Chanyeol wouldn’t pay him any mind until he was sober and chances were the taller wasn’t going to stick around for that long.

Dozing off in his seat, he pretended he wasn’t sniffling and crying against the window, back towards the taller.

And Chanyeol?

He pretended his heart wasn’t breaking every time he heard the echo of Baekhyun’s words and the tiny sobs that made him want to cradle the smaller boy in his arms.

But he didn’t mean the same thing to Baekhyun, he was sure of it despite how genuine the smaller seemed.

Baekhyun woke with a start, head pounding like someone was grinding his skull into tiny morsels.

“ _Fuck...”_ He groaned flopping back, snippets and then chunks of last night coming back to him. Drunk dialling Chanyeol, their talk in the car- his weird confession.

Shit.

 _Chanyeol_.

Beautiful, sexy, adorable, sweet Chanyeol, who went out of his way to look after him even if he didn’t have to.

Beautiful Chanyeol who seemed to hate him.

Glancing around, he noticed a bucket by his bed, painkillers and water sitting on the side and his mobile phone charging across the room.

Whoever had taken care of him, he could only assume it to be Junmyeon, had stripped his shirt and tight pants and layered him in soft duvets to keep him warm.

And as more of the night came to him, Baekhyun wanted to do nothing but scream and cry, wanted nothing more than to reach for his phone and call the stupid giant- to tell him he wasn’t drunk anymore (especially if his hangover was anything to go by) and that he still liked him so very much.

Whining, he kicked his legs frustratedly under the duvets. Why, why was this so unfair, why couldn’t Chanyeol have just waited a few hours for him?

Sighing, he swallowed thickly before shouting out a quick “Junmyeon!” and wincing back in pain as his own voice echoed through his skull.

There was a light knock at the door and his sweet butler walked in, bowing to a perfect ninety degree angle “You called, sir?”

“Yes, I’m sorry to be a pain in the ass, but is there any chance you could get the cooks to make that amazing hangover breakfast that Park asked for a few weeks ago... I...” His voice wobbled at the thought of the taller man “I could really use it right now.”

Junmyeon bit back a smile and his shock. Byun Baekhyun, _apologising_ to the help was unheard of, yet here, he had heard it with his own ears.

Park Chanyeol had changed their rampant boss around, how interesting. If only the smaller male knew...

“I’ll ask for it right away, sir”

“Thanks, Jun” Baekhyun smiled slightly, curling back into his nest of blankets and promptly falling asleep once more.

Waking up the second time, he was startled by a knock at the door- probably the breakfast he had asked for.

“Come in” He croaked out, voice dry from not having spoken for too long.

The door opened gently and his eyes landed on a pair of familiar doe-eyes, long legs making their way into his room, brown hair in a quiff and swept away from his face.

“C-Chanyeol... what are you... you... I...” Baekhyun stuttered, voice catching on every other word “You left.”

Chanyeol simply shook his head, placing down the tray on Baekhyun’s bedside table.

“Not quite. Now eat before we talk about anything.”

“I... what.” Baekhyun stared at him. Chanyeol might be beautiful, but was he dumb? How could he expect him to eat when this is the first time they had been in the same room together in weeks.

“I said-”

“I know what you said, Park. Just... You _left_.” Baekhyun emphasised, voice shaking, because he didn’t know if he couldn’t handle it if Chanyeol was to leave again, his heart soaring a little bit in hopefulness when the other sat down in a chair.

“Baekhyun, please just eat, it took me forever to make it and honestly it’ll take away that disgusting hangover you probably have right now”

“Wait... you made this?” Baekhyun gawked, jaw dropping open at the delicious assortment of breakfast options on his plate, mouth and stomach grumbling at the thought of being filled.

“I made it last time too, but I doubt you wanted to know that back then considering how much you hated me” Chanyeol shrugged, a small, proud smile dancing on his lips.

“Can we talk while I eat then?” Baekhyun pouted, feeling like a small child as Chanyeol moved to perch on the end of his bed;

“Fine. We can.”

“Why did you leave?” Baekhyun asked, finally posing the question that had been bugging him since the beginning “Why did you just resign, I thought... I thought... you might have liked me...maybe?”

Chanyeol glanced down at his hands “I was an idiot. I hadn’t realised but all the time we spent bickering and being together, I had actually started falling for you. The day after you took me to the pet clinic, it sunk in and I... I was going to talk to you- tell you.” He took a deep breath, wide eyes meeting Baekhyun’s confused ones “And I heard you telling Kyungsoo that you still hated me. And it... I couldn’t work here anymore feeling the way I felt so I left, it was better that I just cleared my head.”

Realisation dawned on Baekhyun, confusion turning into to incredulousness “Are you fucking kidding me, Chanyeol?!” He shrieked, carefully setting aside the food before leaning forward to smack the taller’s arm “You stupid idiot, I can’t believe you did this. I... I said that... because... I... I was awake that day when you kissed my head. And I honestly felt the same way, but I didn’t know how to deal with it. So I went to talk to Kyungsoo, I was just telling him how... how I thought we were meant to be hating each other, but I didn’t hate you anymore.” Baekhyun blushed when Chanyeol gathered both his wrists in one hand and tugged the smaller into his lap, the smaller turning beet red at the position, and the fact he was simply in his boxers.

“Hmm” Chanyeol hummed “You can understand why I got confused and upset then.”

“I mean, if you’d waited ten more seconds we could... I wouldn’t have been so broken” Baekhyun whispered, voice shaking “I... why did you stay today...?”

“Right, _that..._ ” Chanyeol cupped one hand on Baekhyun’s cheek, securing the other around his waist to keep him from toppling “Well, when I answered your call last night, I was opening myself back up to this shit, and I was ready to give you so much crap for it, I swear. And then you told me you liked me and I didn’t believe you at all. When I got you into bed finally, Kyungsoo called and I... I picked up just to let him know you were safe. And he did a lot of explaining...” Chanyeol paused, eyes flicking to Baekhyun’s lips “I couldn’t leave after that, not without hearing it from you- whether you really want me or not.”

“I want.” Baekhyun stated firmly, breath hitching as Chanyeol pulled him a little closer, a little show of strength under that soft exterior and adorable face “I want, please- I waited long enough and I put up with enough of your back-chat, Chanyeol. I want you.”

Chanyeol wasted no time in pulling the smaller male towards him, lips crashing together as his warm palm gripped his nape, tugging into his hair as Baekhyun reciprocated with vigour, subtly grinding in Chanyeol’s lap.

“Good, I want you too. I think subconsciously I might have always wanted you- I mean you are fine as hell, Jesus” Chanyeol breathed out on laugh and Baekhyun giggled, head leaning against Chanyeol’s shoulders.

“Yeol?”

“Yeah, babe?”

“If you ever leave like that again, I’m going to castrate you, do you hear me?” Baekhyun grumbled, leaving light kisses against his shoulder. The taller laughed bodily;

“Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere. Somebody has to protect the princess, don’t they?”

A few weeks ago, a comment like that would have been received with a threat for his termination. Today, Baekhyun placed a light kiss against his cheek;

“Of course they do.”

There was a moment’s pause “By the way... what did Kyungsoo say?”

The taller laughed “You don’t want to know”

**

Everything was going really great. They finally had each other again, without the confusion- without the anger and without the spiteful, firey back-chat.

The only issue was, Chanyeol had fully refused to do anything more than give Baekhyun a hand-job and it was starting to irk the other. Was it something about him, did Chanyeol love him but not want to sleep with him?

Should he say something more? It was painful that the man he was learning to love more and more every day... wouldn’t lay a finger on him in public, even if it was as simple as holding his hand, or in private.

It was over a month later that Baekhyun had finally had enough of Chanyeol pushing away the idea of them being intimate together- he hadn’t nearly gone through a break down for Chanyeol to refuse him without reason.

He barged through the mansion door following an event he had been invited to attend with Chanyeol as his body guard, the taller following behind with swift steps, rolling his eyes at Baekhyun’s theatrics.

“Baek, come on, don’t be like this”

“Don’t be like what? You don’t want to touch me, fine. You can wait outside, that’s your body guard duties after all. To _protect_ me.” Baekhyun all but snarled, frustration crawling up inside his body, he just wanted to grip Chanyeol, pin him down and grind against him, or have the taller rail him, folding him in half as he fucked him senseless.

How was it fair to have such a sexy boyfriend in new, wonderfully fitting suits, and not be allowed to touch him? Or even understand why he couldn’t.

Chanyeol gripped the smaller’s wrist, tugging him back against himself before he could slam the door.

“Tell me what the matter is Baek, you’ve been snapping at me all week. And I took that shit when I started, don’t do this to me now as well” Chanyeol growled, voice low and commanding that it drove literal shivers down Baekhyun’s spine.

“It’s nothing” Baekhyun looked away, eyes downcast and suddenly embarrassed at having to tell his boyfriend he was being moody because he was feeling sex-deprived and horny.

“Well?” Chanyeol cocked his eyebrow “Spit it out, I can tell it’s something. Either that or I’m gonna go to my room tonight and you can sleep on your own.”

“No!” Baekhyun yelped out, “W-wait, I just... I want to, _y’know_?” He bit his lip, blinking up at the taller with a soft flush on his face.

“What do you mean- Oh.” Chanyeol stopped, body freezing for a moment, before glancing over Baekhyun “ _Oh._ ”

“Yeah. I don’t just want to be the princess you protect... I want you to ruin me, my mouth my ass... everything...I...” Baekhyun mumbled “It was stupid I know you don’t want to do that- I get it, I’m gonna sleep it off or-”

Chanyeol chuckled lowly, bending slightly to lift Baekhyun up under the thighs so the smaller would have to cling to him; “Oh no, you’re not. Not when you’re acting so cute right now I want to eat you up”

“Wha- Chanyeol!” Baekhyun yelped, burying his blushing face in Chanyeol’s neck “I thought you said you didn’t want to?!”

“Why would I not want to?” Chanyeol sat him down on the bed, pressing light kisses to his neck “You have no idea how much I’ve been holding back especially when you sleep in those cute shorts that ride up...” He dropped his hand to Baekhyun’s thigh to give it a tight squeeze through the now-suffocating jeans.

“I mean I was being considerate this week because you’ve had so many events and galas to attend, I didn’t want you limping... but since you’ve asked so nicely, how can I refuse?” He smirked, suckling against Baekhyun’s neck before moving across his collar bones in feather-light kisses “You’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever met, there isn’t ever a moment where I don’t want you, in every possible way”

“Ah... fuck.” Baekhyun moaned, hands caressing Chanyeol’s arms lightly “Why are you being so cheesy now of all times?”

The taller pushed him down, crawling over him and peppering his face with light kisses, before pulling up the other’s long shirt, not caring if the buttons fell apart “Fuck, you’ve no idea how mad you’ve been driving me all week. Do you not know that jeans are not correct attire for a formal party- especially not when they’re that tight”

Baekhyun giggled, wrapping his arms around Chanyeol and finally pulling him into a soft kiss. “I wanted to see if they were well received”

“Oh they look amazing on you, but I’m going to have more fun stripping you out of them” Chanyeol grinned, unbuttoning the cream top and black jeans, leaving a naked, flushed Baekhyun half hard on his bed from some light teasing.

Chanyeol layered his body in kisses, working his way down his chest, fingers coming up to tease his nipples, dragging across them so deliciously it made Baekhyun’s stomach flip, tension coiling hard in his abdomen and spine, arching up and away from the bed.

The taller tutted under his breath at the act, pinning Baekhyun’s hips down with his hands, fingers splayed across his hips “Keep still sweetheart, I’ve been dying to get a little taste of you”

“Q-quit teasing me, just do it!” Baekhyun gasped out, fingers threading through the mop of dark hair, looking at the tantalizing eyes staring back at him.

“I don’t know if I can do that.” Chanyeol hummed, letting his lips drag over the flesh of Baekhyun’s hard cock, feeling it twitch against him “I quite like seeing you look so wanton for me-“ he grinned wolfishly “May this is finally payback for you being such a little shit to me too”

“I t-thought I-I was forgiven” God Baekhyun, hoped he wasn’t. Because if this was punishment, it was only going to get better.

Chanyeol smirked back up at him, peering under his thick lashes, he licked up the length seductively, moving to wrap his mouth around the tip, before letting out a lewd moan that had Baekhyun gripping at the sheets for dear life, because God, was it embarrassing to be this close, when Chanyeol had merely teased him.

“Y-Yeol, I...” His face was flushed red, down to his neck, a direct contrast of the brat he usually was, subdued by the fact it felt like he could break any minute now, and spill against his stomach and those pink, plump lips of his boyfriend.

“Yes?” Chanyeol looked up at him, reaching to cup his cheek in one hand. Behind the teasing, there was clear admiration, affection- and dare he say, _love_.

“If you keep doing t-that...” The smaller shrunk away, voice barely above a whisper “I mean I haven’t touched myself in weeks and I... it’s embarrassing.”

Chanyeol smiled softly at his lover “The point for you is making you feel as good as possible sweetheart, and if that means you want to cum, then surely that’s a good thing, baby?”

Baekhyun nodded, gulping down his nerves as Chanyeol proceeded to wrap his mouth around the length, softly sucking at the tip before taking all of him into his mouth. Baekhyun keened above him, hips moving automatically to fuck into Chanyeol’s mouth.

It was absurd that his body was reaction so feverently, but he loved it, loved the teasing touches, the fingers dragging across his thighs, the blunt pressure- and the suction of those lips – the weight of the eyes watching him hungrily.

He wanted those lips on him, on his mouth, all over his body- once again spreading hot heat across him, raising goosebumps along with a hot flush- he just wanted Chanyeol in and around him, one with his senses;

“Yeol” He whimpered out, fingers tugging at the other’s hair as the sensation started again, the feeling of the spring so tightly wound unfurling once more, and this time he wouldn’t be able to hold back from painting Chanyeol’s pretty lips and throat white.

He pulled the other off and Chanyeol looked at him concerned. Baekhyun wasn’t a virgin, he wasn’t anywhere close, so he couldn’t fathom why he wanted this moment to be perfect- why he wanted to come with Chanyeol inside him, but he did. It was all he wanted to be encompassed by the man he loved and loved and loved, so freely.

“Yeol, please” He managed again, pressing against the other’s lips, and Chanyeol reciprocated, the feeling of his own arousal still trapped in his dress pants, but still strikingly evident against the material. “I need you.”

“I’m coming sweetheart, be patient a little while longer, I don’t want to hurt you” Chanyeol whispered tenderly, pressing soft kisses against Baekhyun’s shoulder as he guided him down, legs bent at the knees and pressed against his chest, hole openly on view.

And what a view it was. Puckered pink rim, desperate to be filled.

“Fuck, you’re stunning Baekhyun- you’re the most beautiful, most exquisite” Chanyeol managed, feeling breathless “I can’t believe you’re here, like this- with me”

“Chanyeol” Baekhyun mewled as the taller, pressed a lubed finger against the rim, rubbing lightly before pressing in past the tight ring of muscle, Baekhyun flinching slightly at the intrusion.

“Deep breaths babe, I’m going to make you feel amazing I promise...”

“A-ah, I know, I can’t wait” Baekhyun stuttered, voice catching in his throat as the taller eased the finger in and out, before deeming it loose enough to ease in another, leaving the smaller breathless against the sheets, head thrown back like he was lost to the world.

Chanyeol finally withdrew his fingers all the while watching Baekhyun, making sure he was okay as he had spread him apart, dragging his fingers against his prostate in a way he knew none of Baekhyun’s previous lovers had ever cared to do.

None of them had cared about him, only about his status.

“Are you ready, my love?” He coaxed softly, fingers tapping Baekhyun’s cheek as the other panted, spaced out once again.

The smaller nodded, “Yes, please... please, I’ve been ready for a while.”

Chanyeol lubed himself, fingers teasing along his own shaft before pumping twice and kneeling between Baekhyun’s bent legs.

“If... if this hurts, you stop me, okay?”

Instead of replying Baekhyun simply giggled deliriously “Yeollie, babe, I’ll be fine, now please ruin me like you promised to”

Chanyeol sighed with a chuckle, finally pressing past the somehow still tight muscle, breaching into Baekhyun’s body, heat encompassing him almost in a way that knocked all the air out of his lungs.

Baekhyun could pretend he didn’t cry when Chanyeol fucked into him like he belonged to no one else, like he was ravenous and Baekhyun was his last meal. He pretended his brain didn’t go into overdrive when Chanyeol captured his lips and held him close as he pressed against that sensitive bundle of nerves that had him gasping and shaking on top of him.

But there was no way he could stop the way his heart stampeded as Chanyeol uttered the three words he had been so desperate to hear;

“You’re so tight”

 _No, not those words_.

“Fuck _, I love you_.” He whispered, “So fucking much, and I promise to keep protecting you until I can’t anymore, I just... you make me ridiculously mad and happy all at once, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. babe”

Baekhyun made an incoherent sound, Chanyeol driving deeper into him as he lost more and more of his sense, warbling out an “I love you too”

There was no point talking so much, when their actions were clear as day.

Chanyeol finished only when Baekhyun had come twice across both their chests, body heaving under his, trembling so beautifully and covered in sweat. Only then he pulled out and wiped Baekhyun clean, cradling him and showering him.

He placed the smaller gently under the sheet and smiled. There would once be a time when he wouldn’t have set foot in this room- yet now...

Now, he was sliding under the sheets, pulling the other into his embrace and pressing a soft kiss against his forehead, the afterglow of sex and love shrouding them.

“Hey Yeol, do you think we could ever tell my parent’s about us?”

Chanyeol tucked a stray strand of magenta hair away, kissing Baekhyun’s forehead softly “One day, for sure- whenever you’re ready, Baek and whatever you want to do, I’ll be there”

“I... my dad invited me to open an art gallery. It’s my first real thing since the fountain...incident”

Chanyeol narrowed his eyes at the smaller, flicking his little nose as he recalled the _incident_ “Then you’re going to nail it”

“I know that... but I was thinking of announcing it then. To my family.”

“I... are you sure?” Chanyeol asked, searching the smaller’s face for any signs of discomfort but the smaller just pressed closer to him, seeking warmth;

“I’ve never been more sure in my life, Yeol. Of you, of how much you mean to me. This is one thing I never want to hide, not even from my stupid, judgemental family. I feel so happy when I’m with you and I know you’re protecting me”

“Then we can tell them together” Chanyeol smiled, cupping Baekhyun’s face and kissing him gently over and over, until Baekhyun sighed against his lips, content.

The event was just as prestigious as the fountain opening they had been to, except this time Baekhyun chattered excitedly to him the whole way;

“Don’t you think it’s strange how the last time we went to a big opening like this, we were at each other’s throats... and now, I can’t get enough of you?” Baekhyun bit his lip, eyes sparkling up towards his giant.

Chanyeol chuckled fondly “I like that it only took you 4 months to properly warm up to me, how nice. But yeah, I like this way much better- and at least I can be there for you properly.” He let his gaze brush over the smaller “Are you nervous?”

Baekhyun fiddled with his fingers “Yeah, a little. I... I haven’t spoken to them properly in so long... since I walked away that day.”

“I know, but you know it’ll be okay, right? I won’t let anyone hurt you, including them.” He pressed a hand around Baekhyun’s waist “It’s my job after all”

“Don’t be so sappy Yeol” Baekhyun giggled, squishing the taller’s cheeks together and kissing the little pout that appeared seconds later. “God, I love you so much, really so much.”

“I know babe, I know- come on let’s get out, we’ve been sat in the car for too long and your parent’s won’t be happy with that”

Rolling his eyes the smaller got out as Chanyeol walked around and opened the door for him, now used to shielding the smaller from the horrible gaze of the paparazzi and apparently squealing fan-girls.

Making their way inside the huge room lined wall to wall with beautiful, decadent art work, Baekhyun spotted his family waiting and talking to a the mayor of the city.

“Ah, Mayor Kim, this is...” Baekhyun’s father swallowed thickly as he approached “This is my son, Byun Baekhyun.”

Mayor Kim smiled gently, an older man in his sixties “Byun Baekhyun, my- there sure is a lot of news about you lately.”

Baekhyun flushed “I apologise, it was not my best light”

“No, no, while it may not be the most appropriate thing you’ve done, it’s made people fall in love with you” He chuckled softly “My own daughter came out to me only a few weeks ago, and she explained how you had helped her. I feel like I can finally talk with her again and she can be open with me, so I want to thank you for staying true to yourself. I know that cannot have been easy”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened, as did his father’s at the other man’s confession “I... thank you... honestly Mayor Kim, thank you so much. It’s never easy but it helps if people are willing to listen and understand, it really means a lot.”

He felt Chanyeol supportively squeeze his shoulder when his voice quivered.

Taking in a soft breath to steady himself, Baekhyun turned to his father and mother, Baekbeom already giving him his full attention;

“I have something to say before the event starts. And I need you both to know I don’t really care how you feel about this, but if you could for once in your life just accept something, then this would be it.”

“Baekhy-”

“No, this is my turn to talk.” Baekhyun cut in, voice sharp “Mother, father, you know the truth, you know that I’m gay- that I always have been and yet you’ve never accepted me for who I am, always made me feel like the outcast. Fine, you can continue to live like that and I can live with it, but I think it’s only fair that I let you know that I’m in a commited relationship now, whether you like it or not”

“W-with who?” His mother stepped forward, face a twist between concern and disgust.

“With Chanyeol” Baekhyun stated plainly, pulling the other forward slightly and holding his hand.

“With your body-guard?” His father hissed “Baekhyun... if this is your act of defiance I understand... but you can’t just”

“Oh no, no” Baekhyun’s voice became cold and harsh, and for the first time Chanyeol saw Byun Baekhyun, heir to the Presidency “You’re misunderstanding me, father. This wasn’t up for debate. Chanyeol is no longer in your employment, he’s in mine. And he chose to stay in that position, so, unfortunately for you, you have no say in the matter.”

“With all due respect sir, I am very happy with Baekhyun and we’re happy together, if you can’t see past your own hatred for something you don’t understand then you don’t deserve your son” Chanyeol stated calmly, almost daring Byun Senior to step up towards him.

Baekhyun took a deep breath, ready to walk away when he felt a gentle grip on his arm. He whirled around ready to spew more venom against his resentful family when he felt warm arms embrace him.

“Beom?” He choked out when his brother squeezed him tighter, crying against his shoulder “Wha- are you okay?”

“Yes, oh my god- I’m so happy for you Baekhyun!” He cried, holding the younger at arm’s length before pulling him back in “You deserve to be happy, I swear- I’ve never seen you glow like this... I... I’m sorry for not being there more but... I don’t care if you’re gay, I don’t care if you’re the first man on the moon, I just- I miss you and I care about you and I want you to be okay.”

Baekhyun tried not to look so taken aback. His brother who had usually stayed quiet in front of their parents was finally openly embracing him, telling him it was okay- telling him he would be there in direct defiance of their parents.

It bubbled something beautiful inside him and he hugged the older back hard “I’m okay really, I promise. I miss you too, we’ll do something to catch up and maybe I can meet your family too... I heard you have a little boy now too?”

Baekbeom nodded, pulling away with a soft smile “Yeah, he’s the most wonderful little kid ever. If you ever want to adopt Sara though, feel free”

Baekhyun chuckled lightly, patting his brother’s arms before nodding curtly at his parents out of respect and walking off towards the event co-ordinators to set up his place, Chanyeol following silently behind him.

They both heaved a sigh of relief once they were out of sight, the tension having been too much and Baekhyun crumpled against Chanyeol, the fight leaving his body.

The taller kissed his forehead “You did so great Baek, I’m so proud of you for sticking up for yourself and not taking their shit, I... I know it must have been hard and I... I just love you so much, you mean the world to me”

“Just, thank you for being there Chanyeol.” Baekhyun sighed against his chest and the comforting arms around “I... I feel relieved if I’m honest, I feel like they don’t have this hold on me anymore but at the same time I don’t have to wild or crazy to prove anything to them... I can just be myself again.”

Chanyeol simply smiled at him, at the beautiful soul which had once been broken, and he could only be grateful that Baekhyun had allowed him in to help fix it piece by piece.

**

A scandal on his father’s affair while he had been married to his mother comes out a year later and it’s a crushing blow to his presidency and to his brother’s campaign.

Baekbeom had confided that he wanted nothing to do with the presidency, simply wanting to open up his own business with some plans he had drawn up and settle into a nice house with his family- his father had been the one to shove him into the position in the first place.

Baekhyun had since moved from the mansion, into a smaller house with Chanyeol. While the taller still worked as a body guard for him, Baekhyun had since taken up a new role within the clinic, using funds he had raised with some input of his own to open up a bigger part of the clinic to take care of pets- including grooming, caring and playing with the animals like a pet day-care.

It had become a raging success and the lack of popularity once felt by the public had now been reversed, everyone finally coming to see how mild-mannered and kind the second son of the Byun’s was, his nature also extending to helping out for charity and for helping those less fortunate than himself.

It was after one of those busy day’s at the clinic that Baekhyun finally stumbles into the house, exhausted and just wanting to rest, Chanyeol could be heard pottering away in the kitchen cooking up something probably incredible.

“I’m home, babe” Baekhyun called out, folding himself onto the couch after kicking off his shoes.

Chanyeol poked his head into the living room “Ah, good- can you taste this and see if it’s spicy- you know how I am with spicy foods?”

Baekhyun sipped the sauce from the spoon before letting out a content moan “God, that’s amazing, what are you making?”

“Ravioli, from scratch since it’s my day off. How was your day?” Chanyeol smiled at him, tipping the smaller’s head back lightly to peck his lips.

“It was okay, I might need an even bigger clinic soon- although Kyungsoo and Yixing are happy with the extra work they have” He smiled “Do you remember when we first went there?”

Chanyeol shrugged the apron off, turning off the stove and plopping down next to Baekhyun, swinging his legs on top of the smaller’s thighs “Of course I do, when you refused to apologise to me and called me cute”

“I didn’t call you cute!” Baekhyun whined “And if I did... so what? You are cute, you’re fucking adorable and I still can’t comprehend how you have such a cute face and such a lickable body”

Chanyeol snorted “I spent a lot of time working out before I started working for you. But yeah, I think that’s the day I started to see how sweet you could be, and how hard you tried when you felt bad about something... even going as far as to pay someone off instead of saying sorry”

Baekhyun flushed at the memory “Oh... yeah... by the way, did you ever... end up getting something with that card?”

Chanyeol smiled softly “I did. It was a few days before you drunk-dialled me, if I’m honest. I couldn’t stop thinking about you, and all I could see was this gorgeous bracelet every time I left my house. It just reminded me off you, and I thought if I couldn’t see you at least I could... y’know keep the bracelet.”

“That’s really adorable” Baekhyun mumbled, eyes appreciating how tender Chanyeol looked. The taller suddenly stood up, dashing away to their shared bedroom before returning a few moments later, a long, thin velvet box in his hands.

“No, I’m not asking you to marry me... not yet at least” He bit his lip, Baekhyun rolling his eyes at the comment “But, I think it’s time this bracelet was given to the rightful owner of my heart”

Baekhyun beamed as he took the slim box into his own hands, feeling the material under his finger tips before prying open the lid. Inside sat an elegant silver band, with two chains on either side linking in the middle to make a full circle. On the silver band were embroidered words.

Baekhyun clasped the bracelet onto his hand after a moment of reading and turned to look at a teary eyed Chanyeol, his own eyes reflecting the same. He wordlessly wrapped his arms around the taller, too touched to be able to voice it out.

In the night, when Chanyeol had fallen sound asleep, arms entangled around the smaller, Baekhyun looked back over the words on the bracelet that made his heart leap out.

_‘You are the candle in the darkest moments,_

_The stars in the night._

_You are the one that helps me see,_

_For you are my light’_

And it was those four lines that convinced him that _he, su_ re as the stars were in the sky in the night, the sun in the sky in the morning- _as sure as he was Byun Baekhyun... he_ would ask Chanyeol to marry him.

_~fin_

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you reading this- I hope you enjoyed! To the prompter thank you for a wonderfully enticing prompt- I thoroughly loved writing this.
> 
> See you all at reveals!
> 
> x


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